This volume explores aspects of yoga over a period of about 2500 years. In its first part, it investigates facets of the South Asian and Tibetan traditions of yoga, such as the evolution of posture practice, the relationship between yoga and sex, yoga in the theistic context, the influence of Buddhism on early yoga, and the encounter of Islam with classical yoga. The second part addresses aspects of modern globalised yoga and its historical formation, as for example the emergence of yoga in Viennese occultism, the integration of yoga and nature cure in modern India, the eventisation of yoga in a global setting, and the development of Patañjali’s iconography. In keeping with the current trend in yoga studies, the emphasis of the volume is on the practice of yoga and its theoretical underpinnings.

Go beyond the physical exercise of yoga with the founder of the American Viniyoga Institute While there is no denying yoga's popularity as a form of physical exercise, the other life-enhancing aspects of this tradition remain obscure to many Westerners. In Yoga for Transformation, Gary Kraftsow introduces techniques that treat not only the physical body but also the emotions, mind, heart, and soul of the practitioner-the places where real transformation can take place. There are breathing techniques to control energy levels, exercises to train and sharpen the intellect, and meditative practices to help increase self-awareness. With more than 350 black and white photographs throughout, this unique and accessible book is dedicated to strengthening the whole self-body, mind, and spirit.

"Published by the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on the occasion of the exhibition Yoga: The Art of Transformation, October 19, 2013 - January 26, 2014. Organized by the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the exhibition travels to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, February 22-May 18, 2014, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, June 22-September 7, 2014."

With a diversity of bodies and perspectives, this portrait collection presents over eighty yoga practitioners posing and sharing their personal yoga stories. Artfully capturing yoga’s vibrant spirit, Yoga Bodies presents full-color yoga-pose portraits of more than eighty practitioners of all ages, shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and skill levels—real people with real stories to share about how yoga has changed their lives for the better. Some humorous, some heartfelt, others profound, the stories entertain as they enlighten, while the portraits—which joyously challenge the “yoga body” stereotype—celebrate the glorious diversity of the human form. Yoga Bodies is a source of endless inspiration for anyone seeking fresh perspectives on how to live well. “Unpretentious and delightful . . . A collection of first-person portraits of more than 80 people who practice and enjoy yoga. It’s not a book only for yogis—it’s a book for people.” —RealSimple.com

From the perspective of yoga psychology the view from infinity even our basest instincts, our most mundane acts, and our greatest follies can be understood as the limited or distorted expressions of a purposeful, compassionate and infinite intelligence. Yoga Psychology is based on the writings of Sri Aurobindo, the revolutionary poet and philosopher who founded the independence movement in India later led by Mahatma Ghandi.

If you’ve experienced loss, you may feel intense emotional or even physical pain. In fact, it’s not uncommon for grieving people to experience depression, anxiety, fatigue, and a variety of other physical, mental, and spiritual symptoms. If you’ve tried other ways to move beyond your loss but have yet to find relief, you may be surprised to discover the transformative effects of yoga. Yoga for Grief Relief combines over 100 illustrations of gentle yogic poses and the power of psychophysiology and neuroscience to help you recapture a true sense of well-being. You’ll also find breathing exercises, cleansing techniques, and self-relaxation tips to help you work through your loss and begin on the journey to self-knowledge and re-identification. At its core, yoga is about accepting change. If you are open to viewing your loss as an opportunity for growth, this book will help transform your grief with gentle clarity and awareness. To find out more, visit yogaforgriefrelief.com

Yoga is a practice of the mind, body, and spirit. It is a practice that has the power to change, heal, and transform us. Many of us who have chosen to walk the yogic path already know this. We know this because we have not only experienced our own powerful transformations, but we have also seen dramatic, and at times even miraculous, metamorphoses of the souls that walk beside us on this path. The Yoga Diaries is a powerful collection of these stories of transformation through yoga: stories of physical and emotional healing; stories of overcoming great adversity and often finding one's true purpose; stories of breath-taking, alchemical soul transformations and spiritual healing; stories from beautiful hearts and souls from all over the globe. The inspiring stories of the brave yogis within these pages will convince you that yoga is a practice for anyone ... for everyone.

The benefits of yoga are valuable to people of all ages and all fitness levels. Yoga teachers have a responsibility to keep classes fresh and challenging to help students discover their unlimited potential available. Serious yoga students have a personal responsibility to learn the principles of yoga in order to lead a more fulfilling, meaningful life. Motivational Yoga simplifies that task with 100 easy-to-follow lesson plans that vary in length. The lessons progress from basic yoga asana and pranayama lessons for beginning students to more advanced material such as mindfulness and meditation. Fully customizable to meet individual student needs, these ready-to-use lessons will save you valuable preparation time. Choose from beginning lessons focusing on body and breath awareness, basic postures, and breathing, or select more advanced instruction on the yamas and niyamas, guided relaxation, the heart center, the chakras, emotions, and mindfulness. You’ll also find lessons for kids, older adults, athletes, and pregnant women to ensure you are equipped to serve all populations. Most of the lesson plans offer a written script for use in class, or as a guide for student home practice purposes. For beginning teachers, these scripts provide a helpful structure and set the stage for mindful yoga instruction. Veteran teachers may use these lessons and scripts as a creative departure point for expanding on one of the eight limbs of raja yoga or designing a tailored focus for the day’s practice. Motivational Yoga is a starting point for bringing yoga’s abundant teachings into the daily lives of teachers and students alike. For ease of planning and organization, each lesson follows a five-part outline: The intention provides the focus for the day's yoga class. The lesson (script) embodies the essence of the day's teaching. The Asanas for Deepening section illustrates the lesson through body stretch, movement, and sensation. The Motivation Off the Mat section presents suggestions, homework assignments, and reminders for practicing the yoga teachings outside of the classroom. Teacher Tips and Wise Words offer advice for fine-tuning sequences and proverbs that convey a specific thought or feeling for the lesson. In addition, five full-length workshop lesson plans help you expand your teaching beyond a traditional class to offer focused workshops to your students on these popular topics: Spring Cleaning Yoga Detox, The Joy of Backbends, Yoga for Absolute Beginners, Introduction to Meditation, and Transformational Breath. With each lesson, Motivational Yoga demonstrates how the strength, balance, and stretching of the physical practice can inspire a healthy, complete, and joyous existence on and off the mat.

Bowing is the most beautiful of human activities, representing all of life in its most poetic form. It is also one of the best exercises. The simple, repetitive motion uses every major joint and muscle in your body, pumps your heart, and makes you sweat. Used by Asian cultures for centuries, this moving meditation strengthens your body, mind, and spirit. Bowing: A Moving Meditation for Personal Transformation brings this ancient meditative practice into modern times with step-by-step instructions and illustrations. Let this inspiring book show you how to build strength, cultivate humility, and embrace oneness through the simple act of bowing. After only a few weeks of practice, you will enjoy greater vitality, profound centeredness, and an uplifted spirit. Like other forms of meditation, bowing helps you develop discipline and a focused, centered mind. It is more grounding than traditional forms of sitting meditation, because it also requires flowing movement and physical strength. This movement gets the body's energy flowing and naturally brings up joy and gratitude for your physical being. Bowing is also a great way to start and end your day, because it helps you more easily process your goals and tasks, as well as the daily events you encounter. This guide takes you through the entire process of bowing, step-by-step, with many illustrations. It will help you understand this ancient discipline and how practicing it can have profound impacts on your life. Whether you are looking for an integrated body mind spirit workout or a deep spiritual discipline, this book is all that you need to start bowing today.

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF YOGA: Discover the history and philosophy of yoga—plus tools for teaching 108 yoga poses, planning and sequencing your yoga classes, and much more. “Will help [yoga] instructors fine-tune their classroom skills and empower their personal practice.” —Yoga + Joyful Living Drawing on a wide spectrum of perspectives and featuring more than 150 photographs and illustrations, Teaching Yoga covers the fundamental topics of yoga for new and experienced yoga teachers. Inside, you’ll find: • A foundational overview of yoga philosophy and history • Presentations of yoga classics like Vedas; Upanishads; Bhagavad Gita; Yoga Sutras of Patanjali • Profiles of the 11 styles of contemporary yoga, including their history and distinguishing elements • Support and tools for teaching 108 yoga poses, breathing techniques, and meditations • Practical advice for classroom setup, and planning and sequencing yoga classes • Guidance through the process of starting and sustaining a career as a yoga teacher • Over 200 bibliographic sources and a comprehensive index • A useful appendix listing associations, institutes, organizations, and professional resources Addressing 100% of the teacher training curriculum standards set by Yoga Alliance—the world’s leading registry and accreditation source for yoga teachers and schools—Teaching Yoga is the perfect resource for experienced yoga teachers, teachers in training, and anyone interesed in deepening their understanding of their yoga practice.